What I Will Miss Most About Iowa City

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Hello everyone,

With just over a month left before I graduate, I want to highlight a few things I will miss about Iowa so you can maximize enjoying them!

  1. Women’s basketball games: Attending Iowa helped me fall in love with women’s basketball because I watched Caitlin play my entire freshman year, and now I’m a huge Fever fan and watch the WNBA regularly.
  2. Dollar slices at Airliner: Core memories of mine involve nice sunny days, sitting outside on Airliner’s patio with friends, and slices of cheesy pizza.
  3. Prairie Lights: I am going to miss my coffee shop hangouts on the second floor, perusing the store on rainy days, and attending readings weekly.
  4. Pentacrest picnics: I love packing snacks and a blanket and people-watching under the shade of the Pentacrest, doing homework, hanging out with friends, or reading. Iowa City is so magical from that spot.
  5. Dairy Queen: The retro Dairy Queen on the west side is peak Midwest summer for a nice, sweet treat.
  6. The EPB: I’m going to miss all my writing and literature classes, waving hi to professors and peers in the halls, studying in the English loft, and attending faculty talks in Gerber Lounge.

There are a million other things I’ll miss, but these are a few special places formative of my time here.

 

Photo of the women's basketball team in Carver Hawkeye Arena.
Women’s basketball game!

-Solenn

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How Iowa helped me become more independent (in ways I didn’t expect)

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Hi all!

I never truly became comfortable being independent until attending Iowa. A recent job interview asked me about my comfort level with independence, and when answering, I realized how much Iowa has shaped me.

I moved across the country from Arizona at 19 to attend Iowa, and this meant being away from my family for longer than a couple of weeks. I had to take care of myself, manage my schedule, and navigate hard days alone. This has made me stronger mentally for sure.

I studied abroad in Ireland for six weeks, and this meant making travel plans, booking events and flights, cooking, and navigating public transport alone. This made me comfortable living and traveling alone.

Keeping up with rigorous coursework, planning appointments, and social time, all while applying for jobs and internships, has truly helped me prepare for the real world and feel set for success post-graduation. Half the time, I didn’t even think about how much growing I was actually doing until I had the chance to reflect on all that I had done. I’m so grateful I learned my independence in a welcoming college town as a freshman, now ready to explore the world as an almost -22-year-old.

-Solenn

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A Day In My Life: Spring Break Edition

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Hello everyone!

I am currently enjoying my last-ever spring break back in my hometown in Arizona! Here’s what I’ve been up to:

  1. Job-shadowing at my dad’s office – hopefully I can land something here post-grad
  2. Internship work. I’ve been working remotely but have been in the office this week, which is great!
  3. Tanning – no winter paleness around here!
  4. Homework – trying to catch up and work ahead on some big assignments
  5. Catching up with friends – I miss my hometown friends, and it’s amazing to see them when I return home!
  6. Dog time – I miss my dogs, and I spend so much time with them when I’m home!

A productive but relaxing break, I look forward to wrapping up my last two months of college soon!

Matcha hang-out with a friend!

Best,
Solenn

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The Coolest Comedy Show in Town

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Hey y’all!

I recently attended a student-org comedy show called Paperback Rhino. They do monthly shows that are generally free!

They have different games, they play with different scenarios, and lots of audience interaction. Shows are about an hour, and they are amazing. The group is so good at improv, and they are hilarious. I’ve never laughed so hard in my life!

Definitely check out their Instagram @paperbackrhino to find out when their next show is!

Best,
Solenn

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A Weekend in My Life

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Hello all!

Here is a glimpse of a weekend in my life:

Friday:

  1. Worked all morning as a tour guide in Admissions
  2. Grabbed lunch with fellow tour guide Kiana
  3. Had a meeting for my PR internship
  4. Dinner with my friend Regan
  5. Homework!

Saturday:

  1. Went to Encounter to try their new seasonal drinks. I got the strawberries and cream smoothie, delicious!
  2. Went to the Seaman Center to study.
  3. Watched a showing of Clue with my friend Rachel!
  4. Homework
  5. Hung out with my friends at their apartment

Sunday:

  1. Caught up with Iowa alum and former blogger Elana at Java House coffeeshop
  2. Went to Trader Joe’s for the new Valentine’s Day treats!
  3. Went to Voxman to study and play piano
  4. Duty for my RA job/homework

My weekends tend to be fun and productive. I am glad I got to be intentional with spending time with people, getting work done, and sleeping in. Now I feel energized for a new week of adventures!

-Solenn

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My Local Study Haunts on Campus

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Hey y’all!

I get this question a lot from prospective students: where are my favorite places to study?

Here are a few of my favorite places:

  1. Wild Bills: A former coffee shop turned into study lounge, it has sunny windows and offers a nice view while doing work. Located on the third floor of North Hall, this is an underrated place.
  2. IMU window seats: On the second floor of the IMU, there a huge glass windows facing the street and Pentacrest. The chairs are cushy with attached tables so I can easily set a laptop down and people watch. Some of my best stories have been created while sitting here, so writers, consider!
  3. IMU Patio: On nice days, I love sitting by the river and watching people walk around while getting a nice tan.
  4. Currier lounge/courtyard: Currier Residence Hall is for anyone to study one! their ground floor has a very aesthetic study location and an outdoor courtyard with benches.
  5. Voxman Music Library: This place is gorgeous and totally worth the walk.
  6. It is technically in downtown Iowa City, but a five minute walk from the east side residence halls, so I count it! Midnight Coffee is a fun coffee shop to study in. They have delicious seasonal matcha and gluten free baked goods.
Rose Matcha from Midnight!

Here are just a few of my current favorite places, but there are so many to discover!

-Solenn

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First Week of Spring Semester!

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Hello all!

This was the first week back (and my last semester of college ever, wow!)

Here’s a breakdown of my schedule:

Monday: Writing and Reading Fantasy Fiction (MLK Day meant I have not yet attended)

Tuesday/Thursday

  • Business of Media: Lots of group work, participation. Very interesting so far, we’ve talked extensively about the Warner Bros and Netflix deal. Since I want to work in media/entertainment, this is very important knowledge!
  • Business French: With my favorite professor ever, Madame Sohair! We are talking about vocabulary words for resumes, cover letters, and networking right now. We will also make a French job application. I want to work in France one day, so lots of good prep.
  • Italian Food Culture: My favorite so far! I’m Sicilian on my mom’s side, so I enjoy learning about the Italian-American diaspora and how cultures have a similar emphasis on food in their daily lives. We even get to cook!
  • British Fiction: Women’s fiction, such as the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, and George Eliot. The entire class is reading and discussing their work, which is right up my alley!

I have no class on Wednesday and Friday, so it is a chill schedule with plenty of time for work!

-Solenn

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Winter Break Recap

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Hello all!

Welcome back to the blog after a nice month off. I return to Iowa City this week for spring RA training, and then classes start next week! Let’s get my last semester on the road!

My break was very nice, I spent most of it with my family and my three dogs. I caught up with some hometown friends and worked my high school job as well, so I got out of the house!

In my free time, I applied for jobs, read, and did some fun hobbies like coloring, drawing, and watching movies.

Here is a book I finished reading recently:

I hope you enjoyed your break!

-Solenn

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Finals Week Recap

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Hello everyone!

It is currently the middle of finals week, and I thought you’d like a peek at what it is like.

Sunday:

  • Matcha at Midnight Coffee – they have a new holiday cranberry flavor
  • Finish my Literary Editing final portfolio
  • Start my Norse Literature final paper

Monday: 

  • Work at Admissions and give a tour!
  • Go shopping with my friend Camden
  • Holiday party + Secret Santa with my friend group!

Tuesday: 

  • Work again!
  • Turn in Norse paper
  • Work on internship applications
  • Interview!
  • Watch Noelle on Disney+
  • Read Fall I Want

Wednesday: 

  • Cookies/movie night with friends
  • Lock in at Green House coffeeshop
  • Dinner at Cactus with my friend Kailyn

Thursday

  • Play piano at Voxman and work in the Music Library
  • Tour guiding!
  • Dinner and gift swap with friends at Stuffed Olive

Friday 

  • Clean my room and pack to go home!
  • Work at Admissions
  • Movie night with the other RAs

Saturday: 

  • Go on a run
  • Close down Burge
  • Prep to fly home on Sunday!

As you can see, I am lucky and did not have much to do academically, and instead worked and finished some personal projects. Happy holidays, everyone!

-Solenn

 

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Reading Wrapped 2025

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Hello everyone!

Here is my reading wrapped for 2025.

  1. Vinland Saga, Prose Edda, Egil’s Saga, King Hrolf Kraki, Laxardal Saga, Hrafnkel’s Saga – for my Norse literature class
  2. An Archive of Romance – an extension of my favorite series by Ava Reid
  3. Two editions of The Iowa Review for my Literary Editing Class
  4. TBR: The Bright Sword and The Carrying

For my Advanced Creative Writing Class:

  • Biography of X 
  • Lie With Me
  • Because She Never Asked
  • Family Life

For Social Media Marketing:

  • Burn Book

For Fun: 

  • Once Upon A Broken Heart

Hopefully you find some new reading recs for over break!

-Solenn

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